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Europe-wide Alert Issued for Asbestos-Tainted Make-up

Following the example set by the Netherlands just last week, the United Kingdom has banned from sale two make-up kits offered by U.S.-based retailer Claire’s after lab tests detected traces of asbestos in that pair of products.
According to a report published in The Daily Mail, Claire’s retail stores have been ordered to destroy any remaining stock that may be on their shelves and Europe-wide alert has been issued for these items, encouraging other countries with Claire’s stores to do the same.
Though testing in the U.S. prompted the original asbestos alert back in December, further tests were performed by the Dutch authorities and results reported to the European Commission at the end of March. Still, additional testing ordered by the European Commission verified the Dutch findings.
Despite the fact that several tests have come up with the same alarming results, Claire’s continues to stand by the safety of its products.
“Our multiple independent testing of these products by certified laboratories show they comply with all EU cosmetic regulations. We are confident that these products are safe,” a spokesperson for Claire’s Accessories told the Daily Mail in a recent email statement.
“We had asked the authorities to send through further information on their testing and proposed to carry out further testing using the appropriate and most accurate testing method in the Netherlands in conjunction with them to prove the products’ safety,” Claire’s posted on their website.
“We are therefore disappointed the authorities have chosen to ignore these reasonable requests and have taken the steps they have. We will obviously continue to work with the Authorities on this matter, but we stand by the safety of our products.”
It’s no wonder, however, that consumers simply aren’t willing to take a chance with asbestos. Using these questionable products, which are most often marketed to teens and tweens, could result in inhalation of lethal asbestos fibers, which could eventually lead to a diagnosis of an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma. Though such diseases often take decades to develop, doctors have made it clear that no amount of exposure is too small and that even miniscule amounts can cause harm.
It is likely that the manufacturers of these products are using asbestos-tainted talc as an ingredient. Talc and asbestos are naturally mined and often occur side by side. In many instances, the harvested talc becomes contaminated with asbestos and, as such, the toxic mineral winds up in talcum-based products, such as make-up and powders.
Just yesterday, Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay $37 million to a New Jersey man who developed mesothelioma after 30+ years of using their asbestos-contaminated baby powder. The company claims their powder has always been asbestos-free but inner-office memos used as evidence in this and other trials prove that they knew otherwise.